Faraday rotators for use in multijoule Nd:Cr:GSGG and Nd:glass, phase and polarization conjugated multiple-pass amplifiers

High fluence solid-state lasers were built using Nd:Cr:GSGG or Nd:glass in oscillator/multiple-pass phase and polarization conjugated amplifier configurations. Beam path control, thermal stress induced birefringence correction, and isolation were achieved using Faraday rotators. Damage threshold on material and on pulse duration were investigated. Terbium glass was found to have a damage threshold five times greater than that of TGG. The damage threshold of both Terbium doped materials was virtually independent of pulse duration.